Saturday, April 1, 2017

Azure Catacombs

An ancient culture developed a method to preserve the souls of their wisest and most learned citizens at the moment of death.  These souls would continue in a new existence of pure mind, without the pain of old age nor disease, bound in bodies very much like immobile Lantern Archons without offensive capabilities, appearing as glowing dots of light.  An enchanted structure would protect and preserve them, known as "The Azure Catacombs;" labyrinth-like with glowing blue walls.  Powerful members of society would consult with ancient viziers, and descendants of the deceased would be consoled by their revered ancestors.

The Ghostly Warriors yield no quarter!
For maintenance and security, 4 great warriors were also preserved as Ghostly entities:
"Blinky" Oikake (glows red)
"Pinky" Machibuse (glows pink)
"Inky" Kimagura (glows pale blue)
"Clyde" Otoboke (glows orange)

Eventually the Azure Catacombs were sealed and forgotten, either through disuse borne by social disaffection or in order to protect the catacombs from disaster.  Still, the residents persisted peacefully, discussing philosophy and high-minded topics in between long periods of meditation.


This Eye Creature is a hideous yellow orb with a gaping maw
A fissure has opened in the ceiling of the catacombs.  Tragically, a floating Eye Creature has found its way inside, and it has been preying on the hapless Archon-like residents.  This hideous yellow orb has been relentlessly gobbling the poor glowing dots with its huge maw.  The ghostly warriors have been unable to stop it.

The Eye Creature might yield a quarter.


Scale: 5 feet per square
On the map, you can see the glowing blue walls.  There is an "X" near the center of the bottom half of the map where the player characters enter the catacombs, presumably dropping in through a fissure in the ceiling.  The small yellow dots are the helpless lantern archons.  4 large yellow globes serve as failsafe devices which render the ghostly warriors harmless.  On the center of the right and left side are magic portals which teleport those who enter to the opposite side of the map.  The center rectangle is a crypt for the ghostly warriors.  Attractive foods (mostly fruit) occasionally (5% probability per round) appear for 5 rounds at the "X".

If the players can defeat the floating Eye Creature, the grateful residents will provide the player characters with directions to a cache of level-appropriate treasure, and will of course provide their ancient knowledge and wisdom to a limited number of future visitors as if they were a library of minds.

If your players don't recognize this map nor the nature of its inhabitants, deduct them 10 XP each.

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